
The Jan. 6 Insurrectionists Aren’t Who You Think They Are
The people who stormed the U.S. Capitol weren’t poor, unemployed red-staters. Many were middle-class professionals motivated by the “great replacement” conspiracy theory.

The Military Revolt Against Joe Biden
An open letter by former officers calling the president a “Marxist” dictator is a greater threat to U.S. democracy than the ouster of Liz Cheney.

The Death of the Carbon Coalition
Existing models of U.S. politics are wrong. Here’s how the system really works.

Our Top Weekend Reads
A broken U.S. public sphere, QAnon’s resilience amid disappointment, and how to eavesdrop on policymaking conversations.

No Amount of Swagger Can Dress Up Pompeo’s Legacy
The outgoing secretary of state prioritized his political ambitions over America’s interests.

Bolsonaro Is Following Trump’s Anti-Democracy Playbook
Brazil’s “Tropical Trump” is laying the groundwork to discredit his country’s electoral process.

The Enduring Damage of This Insurrection to U.S. Diplomacy
Adversaries are already leveraging Wednesday’s indelible images of chaos for propaganda purposes.

Invoke the 25th Amendment—Now
Trump’s actions on Wednesday have led to an unavoidable national reckoning.

America, Welcome to the Ranks of Struggling Democracies
What needs to happen next if U.S. democracy is to survive.

Why Ghana Does Disputed Elections Better Than the United States
Lessons from democracy-building efforts abroad for use at home.

The Military Stayed Out of the Insurrection, but It Isn’t Over Yet
Trump failed because key Republicans backed down and the military stayed out—yet critical questions remain.

What Georgia’s Senate Results Mean for Biden’s Foreign Policy
As Congress hangs in the balance, Obama’s national security advisor explains how a president can deal with a less than cooperative legislature.

The Coming Republican Reckoning With Trump’s Legacy
Rebuilding Republican credibility in national security will require an honest look at Trumpism—and a return to our party’s foreign-policy principles.

Europe May Cheer Biden’s Win—But It Threatens Macron’s Grand Project
France is going to have a harder time selling “strategic autonomy” without the foil of the Trump administration to drive it.

In Break From Trump, Biden Opts for Experience, Expertise for Top National Security Jobs
The U.S. president-elect laid out most of his national security team even as more Republicans abandoned Trump and his legal battles over the election results.

Biden’s Irish Roots Promise a New Kind of Special Relationship
But it won’t be a “great bonanza.”

Trump Ousts Cybersecurity Chief Over Election Claims
The outgoing president continues to spread falsehoods about fraud, even as the recently fired Chris Krebs calls the elections ‘the most secure’ in history.

Trump’s Defeat Was World Historic
Populist authoritarians don’t usually leave through the ballot box. The Democrats’ success offers lessons for others.

The National Security Risks of Trump’s Temper Tantrum
Refusing to concede and start the transition creates mostly hindrances, not disasters. But on key issues, obstructing Biden puts America in danger.

Democrats Urge Outgoing Trump to Be Flexible on Sanctions
Lawmakers are redoubling efforts to ensure all countries can get essential medical equipment during the pandemic despite ramped-up U.S. sanctions.